The former deputy justice minister, who served under the previous Law and Justice (PiS) government, is wanted in Poland over alleged irregularities involving the Justice Fund, which was set up primarily to assist victims of crime.
Romanowski has asked the Warsaw District Court for a safe-conduct letter, which would allow him to return to Poland and remain at liberty while facing criminal proceedings, provided he complies with conditions set by the court.
His application says he is in Tiraspol, the capital of Transnistria, a breakaway region that is internationally recognized as part of Moldova but is under Russian military occupation and outside the Moldovan government’s control.
The National Public Prosecutor’s Office said prosecutors had no evidence suitable for court proceedings confirming that Romanowski was at the address he provided.
Preliminary information indicated that he had not crossed Moldova’s border during the past five years.
There was also no confirmation that he had crossed the borders of neighboring Romania or Ukraine.
Prosecutors have asked Moldova’s Prosecutor General’s Office for legal assistance in establishing whether Romanowski is or has been in Moldova, how he entered the country and whether he is staying at the Tiraspol address.
They have also issued a European Investigation Order to Romanian authorities seeking information on whether he crossed Romania’s border.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on Tuesday that intelligence received from Poland’s partners in the region indicated there was a "99 percent" probability that Romanowski was in Transnistria.
National Public Prosecutor’s Office spokesman Przemysław Nowak said there was "no discrepancy" between Tusk’s statement and the prosecution’s position.
He said the prime minister appeared to be referring to intelligence and operational information, while prosecutors needed evidence obtained through formal legal channels before it could be presented to a court.
"That is not evidence that can be presented to the court," Nowak said. He added that prosecutors were using the information to seek evidence from Moldova and Romania.
Prosecutors also questioned whether Romanowski would comply with the conditions attached to safe conduct.
They cited his departure from Poland and later Hungary, his previous statements that he did not intend to return to Poland during the proceedings, and his challenges to the legality of actions taken against him.
His application also states that he has a legal passport issued under another identity, without identifying that person or explaining how the document was obtained, prosecutors said.
Nowak said the application itself was dated July 11 or 12 but was mailed from Transnistria about two weeks later.
He said the delay raised the possibility that somebody else had taken the document there to post it.
Romanowski faces charges including participation in an organized criminal group and manipulating competitions for grants from the Justice Fund.
Prosecutors allege that officials were instructed which organizations should receive grants and that some applicants were allowed to correct defective bids or receive funding despite failing to meet requirements.
A Polish court ordered Romanowski to be held in pre-trial detention in December 2024. He subsequently became the subject of a national wanted notice and a European Arrest Warrant.
After an earlier warrant was revoked in December last year, the Warsaw District Court issued another in February.
Romanowski received asylum in Hungary under the government of Viktor Orbán in December 2024.
Hungary revoked his refugee status last month, after Péter Magyar replaced Orbán as prime minister.
The Warsaw District Court will decide whether to grant the safe-conduct request.
Transnistria broke away from Moldova following Russian military intervention and a brief war in the early 1990s. It has its own government, security forces and currency, but no United Nations member state, including Russia, recognizes it as an independent country.
Russia provides the region with political and economic support.
(rt/gs)
Sources: IAR/PAP